If a tenant's behavior is impacting your health, then fix it.

You need everything documented and the advices here are very much correct, do not hold back on rent, that will only get you into trouble and you will somehow lose leverage.Tell your land lord that you will report him to the health and safety board.

These contacts are needles in haystacks these days, but you asked so I have told.Non-financable properties are those that do not have heating units, those without kictchens (or without kitchen appliances), and those that have some type of issue that poses a safety or health hazard (mold, foundation issue, illegal items, etc).

He is not rent controlled, is a sibling of the owner selling the building and is in his 80s, not in great health, doesn't speak English and is illiterate in his native language. 

Judging by the pictures, that looks much more like scrapping fueled by some mental health or addiction related drive rather than outright theft.

If the tenant needs an accommodation for health reasons, such as removing a specific plant that is an allergen, then you could consider it.

Plus there are other community groups that offer housing assistance (for example for mental health patients, and for sober houses). 

That got his attention and he finally came into compliance.You need to get into the unit to do a health and safety check, if nothing else.

My mother is turning 65 this year and is no longer able to work because of health reasons.

Including Health Savings Accounts (HSA), which can be self directed as well.